Two Steps Forward- And The Bus

Ever see the movie Meet Joe Black?  Where the guy gets killed by the bus that comes out of nowhere?  I laughed my ass off when that happened.  Truly.  It was hilarious.  

And then it happened to me.  Metaphorically, of course, but still.

So, it's nearing the end of January.  I'm still getting pages from Sara, which is a great thing.  Group is shaping up very well.  I'm still getting pages (slowly) from Cristhian for Annie O.N.E.  I had to search for a colorist, and may have found one, but I have to get approval from my partners first.  So, I'm waiting on that.  I should be used to waiting.  I seem to do a lot of it.

Like I'm still waiting on lettered pages from my editor for the big project I want to do.  The sooner we get resolution on that, the better I'd feel.  I'm still working on other things, sure, but it's looming over me.   

I've started another column over at Project Fanboy.  This one is called The Proving Grounds, and it's basically me editing scripts that are sent to me.  It's the brainchild of Sebastian Piccione, one of the admins over at PFB.  At first, I was highly skeptical.  Seriously.  It's not like I wasn't already running one column that seems to have a dedicated fan base.  Would that fan base translate to another column?  I didn't know, so I put out some feelers, and did some preliminary math based on some nearly arbitrary numbers.

I came up with I needed 10 people to say that they wanted the other column.  I got 8.  I figured that was close enough, so I went ahead and did it.  I posted one column last week, and it already has over 200 views.  It hasn't been a week yet.  I'd say that's pretty good for a relatively obscure site.  

Its also got me a paid editing gig, with the possibility of more down the road.  I'm pretty happy about that, to tell the truth.  It had been a while since I had one, and I needed to get a memory upgrade for my laptop.  I'm trying to teach myself how to letter, and CS3 isn't running on my laptop due to not enough memory.  So, the first thing I did with part of the money was to buy that upgrade.  It should be here pretty soon.  I'm hoping today or tomorrow.  That would be nice.

I also may be entering into another editing position with Red Handed Studios.  Basically, Cary left Premiere publishing and is striking out on his own.  There are a few lines for things to happen, such as getting into Haven to be distributed and possible webcomics, but we'll see where that leads.  

Lenora is undert he impression that either Marvel or DC is going to scoop me up to edit for them.  She seems to think that will happen this year or next.  I love her for it.  She's good for my ego.  I know better, but still, it's nice that someone thinks decently of me.  

I wouldn't say that I'm a great editor.  I have a LONG way to go to become a good editor.  I think I'm decent, but I still have a ton to learn.  I have books and am studying them and trying to apply my knowledge to create better books, but I still have a LONG way to go.  So, when she says things like she's just waiting for the publishing fairy to come along and whisk me up, it makes me feel good, but since I consider myself an adolescent in comics, I know there's no publishing fairy.  I have to do the work in order to open doors for myself, and that's what I'm in the process of doing.  

Things are going much better for Bear, our cat.  He's up to his tricks again, bouncing around, feeling wonderful.  He's gained his weight back, as well as his appetite.  I don't know if I told you, but he has feline leukemia.  Not cool for a kitten.  He's about 7 months old now, and he's spoiled.  But he's basically a good cat.  We had him neutered, which triggered the leukemia and some sort of infection.  We beat it back, and he's doing much better, so we're happy.  We just can't get him declawed, or it's the same thing all over again.  Instead, we have to put caps on his claws.  Went to the vet last night and did it.

He's also taking to sleeping on the bed with us.  Not something I mind in the least.  I know Lenora doesn't.  She likes having him really close.  He surprised me yesterday by basically sleeping on the bed with me all day.  Not something I was expecting from him.

And then, the bus.

I mentioned my friend Jennifer from Virginia Beach.  We had a semi-relationship...  Okay, time for a small tangent.  

I don't think it's too much to ask for women to say what the hell they mean, or at least give us some damned strong hints as to what they want.  Cue cards would be nice.  Men aren't smart.  Not when it comes to the arcane and mystic ways of women.  We can put together a shelving unit with no problem, and we understand electronics.  Want us to grill?  We're right there.  Ask us about a color or a style of women's dress or female haircut--superficial stuff, right?--and we're lost.  And then you're going to ask us to understand you?  Why not ask for peace in the middle east while you're at it?

Okay, so we were in some sort of relationship.  Sex was involved.  She was married, and wanted to get back with her husband.  I could kinda understand that.  I was married, but April and I knew we weren't getting back together.  So, we were both separated.  I was lusting after her for a while.  An attractive woman, with everything in all the right places.  Funny, smart, but just a bit young for me.  I did it anyway.

I already said that I hurt her.  I'm not going to revisit that.  She unfortunately had a breakdown, and that's all I'm going to say about that.  I apologized to her, and thought we were on the way to making peace.  

Then, I get a text this morning asking if I took advantage of her.  She was supposed to come out in March to visit Lenora for her birthday, but now says she's not coming because she can't stand the sight of me.  

Blew me away.

I think I know where it's coming from, and I probably deserve it, but it doesn't mean I was prepared for it.  

I've never claimed to be a nice guy.  Never.  Others may say it of me, others may think it of me, but I've never claimed it for myself.  I've hurt people.  Unintentionally and never with forethought, but I've done it.  I've done it, and I'm sorry about it.  But to be told that I hurt you more than the man who married you only to get citizenship papers...a man that you loved...yeah, that hurts.  

And it's put me into a melancholy mood.  

So, I'm going to watch The Dark Knight, and some things on Hulu.  We'll see what happens with the rest of this evening.  

Thanks.